president’sperspective
John J. Hurley
Canisius College Magazine WINTER 2011 VOLUME 12, ISSUE 1
President John J. Hurley Associate Vice President for Public Relations & Executive Editor Debra S. Park MS ’06
One of the things I noticed when I came to Canisius 14 years ago was how ageless many of our professors looked. The year was 1997 but most looked the same as they did when I left as a graduate in 1978. I joked with several that the job obviously agreed with them and that the years had been very kind to them. I have come to see that spending a career engaged in reading, writing, thinking and passing along wisdom to young people can be a veritable “fountain of youth.” In time, it caused me to take for granted the presence of so many special people on the campus. I suppose that I assumed that they would always be here. I know that is not the case, however, and we report with some sadness in this issue (page 20) on the passing of two long-time members of the faculty, Mel Schroeder and Larry Minet, and a much younger colleague, John Kalb of the Biology Department. Larry Minet, a retired member of the Economics and Finance Department, was still a fixture in the faculty lounge at the time of his death. In his retirement, Larry found in Canisius a true second home, where he was content to read for hours and drop in unannounced at various campus gatherings.
Managing Editor Audrey R. Browka Director of Creative Services & Layout Editor Andalyn Courtney Contributing Designers Shaun M. Maciejewski Rose Twardowski Director of Alumni Relations Eileen L. Hudson ’83 Contributing Writers Elizabeth M. Bohen ’74, MS ’76 Dianna Civello Kristin E. Etu ’91 Rachel Flammer Erin H. Hartnett Eileen C. Herbert ’04 Eileen L. Hudson ’83 Laura B. Marek ’06 Illustration Kevin Serwacki
John Kalb passed away suddenly at the end of the fall semester. While only 44, he had accomplished so much in his research, his teaching and his development of the biology curriculum at the college. His passing is mourned by his department, his students, his professional colleagues outside the college, and his family.
Photography Matt Cashore Shaun Maciejewski Tom Wolf ’86
Mel Schroeder was still teaching full-time in the English Department in the fall before discovering that he had cancer. The case was too advanced for aggressive treatment and Mel passed away peacefully shortly after the spring semester began. He leaves behind a legion of English majors, Griffin editors, Quadrangle poets and connoisseurs of books and movies, all of whom were the beneficiaries of his wisdom and guidance. I count myself among the lucky ones who had Mel in three classes, and discussed student journalism and The Griffin with him by the hour.
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Jesuit education is special because the people who are on the front lines delivering it every day – the faculty – are special. We have lost some special people. May they rest in peace!
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